About
Peace in Parting's mission is to support older adults and their families with navigating end-of-life tasks. As a certified Death Doula, I specialize in providing Death Cleaning services in Champaign-Urbana, Illinois (and surrounding area). I also provide Family/Caregiver Respite services so that caregivers can engage in much needed self-care either on a recurring or flexible schedule, including overnights and weekends.
FAQ
What is Death Cleaning?
Death Cleaning (or Material Artifact Support) is the process of organizing your home before you die to decrease any potential stress or burdens for your loved ones. If you died tomorrow, is your family equipped to manage the items you leave behind? Death Cleaning is not about vacuuming and dusting; it is a permanent form of organizing that helps life run more smoothly for older adults. It removes the uncertainty that loved ones can face when deciding what to do with a person's non-titled property at the time of their death.
Death Cleaning can take place at any stage in our lives. But it is likely to occur when someone is downsizing, moving into long-term assistive care, or even after their death. I will work with you and any of your identified stakeholders (e.g. spouse/partner, immediate and extended family members, friends, church members, etc.) to decide what items to keep, what to donate or throw out, and what to repurpose. It is essential that this is a collaborative process - I cannot determine how to categorize your items without feedback.
An added benefit of Death Cleaning is having the necessary conversations to ensure one's wishes are carried out prior to or after one's death. It is an opportune time to take inventory of one's belongings and to make sure all of the important information has been documented and is accessible.
How long does Death Cleaning take?
The length of time on a project depends on the state of the home, as well as the number of areas that require attention. Following a free in-home assessment, I will work with you to more accurately estimate the time required for a project based on your needs.
Does my loved one need to be actively dying or on hospice to utilize respite care?
Absolutely not! Caregivers have a very tough job - I encourage them to access respite support throughout their entire caregiving journey. I have a Master's degree in Applied Behavior Analysis (science of behavior change) and training specifically for caring for those with dementia and cognitive disorders. Being able to provide peace-of-mind to caregivers experiencing stressors is why I do what I do.
What are your rates?
Death Cleaning services are $95/hour with a maximum of 6 hours per day. Respite services for caregivers is $35/hour.
Do you provide additional Death Doula services?
When we, or our loved ones, enter hospice care, are diagnosed with a terminal illness, or experience a sudden death, conducting any end-of-life tasks can feel overwhelming for the dying or their living family members. I would be more than happy to support you and/or your loved ones with other end-of-life activities, including facilitating conversations around Advanced Directives, funeral planning, vigil planning/sitting vigil, and facilitating life review projects.
Testimonials
Kirby provided caring companionship to our elderly mother in the final months of her life. Compassionate and trustworthy, Kirby has a special talent for communicating with a wide range of people. She's a remarkable person and we were lucky to find her!
After several attempts to find good companion care solutions for our mother who was in her nineties, we found Kirby. Kirby was beyond all our expectations. She was completely reliable, when others were not, and always had a positive outlook, even during the most challenging times. She immediately, and consistently, created a warm and caring bond with our mother which continued through her last days. I wouldn't hesitate a minute to engage Kirby's services.
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